Celeste Tribune Article

The Problem with Legacy Building

Almost 40 years ago we watched President Richard Nixon sign a treaty with the Peoples Republic of China opening Diplomatic relations. Thus ensuring, forever, that President Richard Nixon would be remembered as a great President. EXCEPT: for the minor facts that three burglars were caught breaking into the Headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate Hotel. These minor insignificant, petty crooks were traced back to the Oval Office and Nixon's legacy is remembered as one of corruption instead of Statesmanship.

Almost 30 years ago, we watched President Jimmy Carter Broker a deal between Egypt and Israel, finally bringing peace to the Middle East. Thus ensuring forever that President Jimmy Carter would be remembered as a great President. EXCEPT: for the minor fact that Iranian dissidents were in the streets of Tehran protesting against the Shah. President Carter choose NOT to support our longtime ally, the Shah of Iran, and he was overthrown. These "political dissidents" in Tehran stormed the American Embassy and took hostages. These hostages would not be freed until Jimmy Carter left office 444 days later. The result is that President Carter's legacy is one of incompetency instead of Statesmanship.

A little over 20 years ago we watched President Ronald Reagan confront the evil empire of the Soviet Union. Let me remind you of his memorable words, "Mr Gorbachev, Tear Down this Wall". President Reagan got up from the table in Iceland and refused to give in to the Soviet Union's demand that we give up on our plans to build a Missile Defense. Mr Gorbachev was chased out of office, The Berlin Wall was torn down and the Soviet Union fell. President Reagan legacy is the American Victory in the Cold War.

Sixteen years ago we watched President George HW Bush conduct an extremely successful war against Saddam Hussein and the Republican Guard of Iraq. The United States Military, under President George HW Bush, forced Saddam out of Kuwait and almost completely destroyed Saddam's ability to threaten his neighbors. Unfortunately, President George HW Bush did not finish the job. He bowed to pressure from the "World Community" and the United Nations and left Saddam in power in Iraq. The result, his legacy is one of incompetency and a failed presidency.

Eight years ago we watched the Congress of the United States of America IMPEACH President William Jefferson Clinton for perjury. The Senate failed to remove him from office in spite of the overwhelming evidence that he lied to a federal Grand Jury in a civil rights case. The scandals that colored the eight years of President Clinton's presidency resulted in his legacy being one of corruption and scandal. President Clinton is still to build his "Legacy" in spite of the fact that he left office six years ago.

How will Dubya be remembered? Will he be remembered for his actions following 9/11 when he rallied the nation? Will he be remembered for his extremely successful war in Afghanistan against the Taliban? Will he be remembered for the war in Iraq, that was justified but badly planned? Or will he be remembered for selling out American Border Security to placate 20 million criminals that have invaded the United States and now DEMAND citizenship? President Dubya Legacy has yet to be written but if he chooses to force Amnesty down our throats he will be remembered as yet another Failed President.

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